EasyTouch PL4/PSL4 Not Communicating With Intelliflo3

[Zulyman999]

I have a brand new system that I can't for the life of me get to work. The installation guy couldn't figure it out so now it has defaulted to me.

Problem:
-Due to supply shortage I purchased the newest pump model Intelliflo3 which supports direct communication via. Bluetooth or Wifi. The pump works fine when operating in this mode however I have also installed the Easytouch PL4/PSL4 to have one central controller.

The problem is now I have to control Heater, Valves, sensors etc... via the ET with the ScreenLogic application and I have to control the pump with the Pentair Home application.

As such I have installed the RS-485 communication wire between the ET and the pump. I only have the two communication lines plugged in on both sides as instructed in the manual (Green and Yellow wire). My understanding is that the pump should go into automation mode when connected in this manner, the Magenta/Pink 'Connect LED' should light up but I have yet to get this color light up.

When you use the ET to configure the connection to the pump and specify the VSF pump if you check the status it says 'NO COMM'. Obviously the ET is not communicating to the pump. I have verified the address is set to 1 on the pump. What is odd is if I tell the ET to stop the pool it will stop the pump, without powering it down. I say this because the install guy setup the pump through the Relay-1 circuit but I read it shouldn't be setup this way for this pump.

My understanding is that the pump should be connected directly to the Circuit Breaker not the relay for this type of pump. Now after a period of time the relay will turn off the pump but again this is a separate issue. What I can't get to work is to get the pump to turn on via the ET interface.

I am now at a complete loss. I have no Idea what else the problem could be. Am I missing something?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Aaron

 

[Zulyman999]

One additional note, I do have both the pump communication and the RF Transceiver plugged into the RS-485 port J20. But I think this is ok.

 

[Jimrahbe]

999,

There is only one RS-485 bus, so everything electrically connects to J20

The IntelliFlo3 is very new, so it would not surprise me in the least that the "Lite" version of EasyTouch will not control it. But, I do not know that is a fact, I'm just saying it would not be a shock.

Let's run a quick test. With the pump connected to the EasyTouch, use ScreenLogic and turn on a pool light. Then go out to the pool and confirm the light is actually on. Then go the EasyTouch buttons and turn off the pool light, and confirm that the green ScreenLogic light icon is off. This will prove that the RS-485 is still working with the pump hooked up.

If that works, then I would try to configure the pump as an IntelliFlo VS and see what happens.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[guinness]

It seems you've done everything right. Is it possible you've crossed the yellow and green wires at the pump?

 

[Jimrahbe]

999,

I find it interesting that the old IntelliFlo manual actually only shows 2 pins used when connecting the RS-485 to the pump, Green and Yellow.

The new IntelliFlo3 shows all 4 pins, +15, gnd, green, and yellow in the diagram, but the manual specifically states to use just green and yellow pins.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[MaverickFL]

I connected my new IntelliFlo3 to my ET and used all 4 wires. I didn't try it with just the two so I can't say that it does or does not work that way but I can tell you that it absolutely works with all 4 pins connected. The other two pins are ground and power which you wouldn't think would be needed but its something to try if you have a 4 conductor wire handy (or two 2 conductors just for testing). I have mulitple accessories (thermostat, pump) hooked directly to the one and only RS-485 bus on the ET board and it works fine, they must have a unique addressing system that lets them all communicate off the same connector. If its turning the pump on/off but not showing the magenta light, Im inclined to believe the extra two wires may actually serve some function here to fully establish the connection, I would try adding the additional 2 wires. As Jim mentioned the pump manual conflicts itself showing all 4 pins being used on the diagram but stating to "use an 18 to 24 AWG, two conductor cable".

 

[MaverickFL]

Also, its not necessarily wrong to power the pump from Relay1 instead of the breaker directly but the wires should be connected to the hot side of Relay1 where the breaker power connects, not to the 'controlled' connectors. I don't believe code permits multiple wires to the same breaker unless the breaker is specifically designed for it.

 

[MaverickFL]

OK, scratch my original theory. I went out to my pump and pulled the power and ground and it works fine. New theory is that of the two data wires, one is transmit (data -) and one is receive (data +). My guess is that possibly your receive wire is working and your transmit wire is not, those connectors are so small it seems very easy to miss getting the wire inside or fully inside the connector. I would undo and redo all the connectors and make sure the wire is seated correctly.